Drops Of Jupiter
by SiriusStarr
Summary: When Mal decides somewhat grudgingly to give his crew a week off, Simon takes Kaylee to a surprise location, while back on Serenity, River throws a fit. KayleeSimon. ::UPDATED CHAPTER 6 on May 3:: ::Please review!::
1. Now She's Back in the Atmosphere

Title: Now She's Back in the Atmosphere (Drops of Jupiter chapter 1)  
Characters: All  
Pairing: Kaylee/Simon  
Rating: G  
Summary: Mal gives the crew some pleasing news; Simon and Kaylee make plans.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon pwns teh Firefly/Serenity goodness!

**Drops of Jupiter**

**Now She's Back in the Atmosphere  
(Chapter 1)**

"Can I get all crew to the kitchen area please!"

The captain's voice reverberated around the ship, into every room and area. Inara, who had been sleeping after a particularly long engagement with a client, was jolted awake. She groaned and turned over, annoyed at Mal for buzzing her shuttle when he only wanted crew. Suddenly his voice sounded again.

"Inara, you as well."

Inara groaned again and sighed, then heaved herself out of bed. In the cargo bay, Book helped Jayne finish his set on the bench press, and then they headed up the stairs together. Kaylee, Simon, and River made the short walk from the passenger dorms and Zoe and Wash wandered down from the bridge. Inara arrived last, draped in a silk dressing gown and trying not to yawn, cursing Mal inwardly.

Mal stood up from where he was sitting at the table and began to address them.

"I know you all are wonderin' why I called you... Well, seein' as we've got no cargo, and no job as of this moment, we're going to be havin' a bit of a vacation." He paused as they all cheered, waiting somewhat impatiently for them to stop. Finally they did and he continued as though there'd been no interruption. "We're landing planetside on Verbena in--" he glanced at Wash.

"Two hours."

"--two hours." Mal continued. "We'll have a week to stay on the planet, enjoy the sites, eat in the restaurants, yadda yadda." he sounded as though he thought it a crime to be doing such when they could be out in the black, but he didn't comment on it directly. Over to the side, Inara looked pleased with herself, and the rest of the crew cottoned on to the notion that it was Inara to be thanked for Mal giving them a week off.

"So we can do whatever we want?" asked Kaylee, smiling. Mal nodded curtly.

"But I expect some duties still to be done. Kaylee, you still need to check the engine daily, and everyone else needs to make sure the ship is still clean and taken care of." Everyone nodded and Mal surveryed them all for a while. "Alright, that's all. Have fun."

Everyone cheered and scattered, Simon and Kaylee heading back to the lounge area of the passenger dorms as River stayed in the kitchen to make something to eat. Kaylee flopped down on the couch, beaming.

"A week off, this is so shiny..." she said happily, watching Simon sit down beside her. He too was smiling, but he looked somewhat nervous. "Somethin' wrong, doctor?" she asked in concern. He shook his head, and looked at her.

"I was just... wondering... if you'd like to.. do something with me.. on Verbena..." he asked awkwardly. He watched her nervously, expecting a no, but he was heartened as a radiant smile crossed her face.

"'Course I want to! What are we gonna do?" she asked excitedly. She'd never been to a core planet for more than a day or so before, and she had no idea what kind of interesting things there were to see, but she suspected there were lots. Simon smiled happily.

"I've got some things planned, you'll just have to see." he said, trying to sound mysterious. Kaylee laughed and threw a cushion at him. He caught it and grinned at her, pleased with her reaction. He smiled softly as she stood up, preparing to go back to the engine room. "So later then, tonight? We can start there, and then tomorrow... well, you'll see. But is tonight good?" he asked. She beamed at him and nodded, then turned around and headed out of the room. Simon watched her go, and then got up and already started packing a bag. A blanket, a thermos of hot cocoa, and, his surprise for her, a small box of strawberries he'd picked up several days before and had kept in a special container that kept them ripe and fresh. His stomach lurched with excitement a little while later when he felt the familar jolt of the ship that meant they'd landed. He lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for time to pass so he could begin his first outting with the beautiful mechanic.

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	2. Acts like Summer, Walks like Rain

Title: Acts like Summer and Walks like Rain (Drops of Jupiter chapter 2)  
Characters: Inara, Kaylee, Simon, River  
Pairing: ImpliedKaylee/Simon  
Rating: G  
Summary: Inara and Kaylee have a chat while Inara helps Kaylee get ready for the evening, while Simon has a strange (what else is new?) conversation with his sister as he broods about Kaylee.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon pwns teh Firefly/Serenity goodness!

**Drops of Jupiter**

**Acts like Summer and Walks like Rain  
(Chapter 2)**

Kaylee stood outside the door to Inara's shuttle and knocked, playing with her fingers absent mindedly. A moment later Inara appeared and opened the door for her, the Companion draped in silky red robes and looking beautiful as always.

"Hey 'Nara." said Kaylee affectionately, smiling at her. Inara returned the smile and stepped back to let Kaylee into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Hello Kaylee," Inara replied warmly as Kaylee slipped by her. Kaylee's eyes wandered around the room, drinking in the lavish decor. Even though she'd been in Inara's shuttle a million times, the rich drapery, exquisite furniture and expensive _everything_ never ceased to amaze the mechanic. Kaylee watched her graceful friend cross from the doorway to the couch and sit down, fiddling with a kettle on her small table. "Would you like some tea?" Kaylee nodded and Inara pulled out Kaylee's favourite berry herbal tea and put some of the leaves in a cup as Kaylee sat herself down beside Inara.

"I love your shuttle." Kaylee sighed as she leaned back against the soft throw cushions, her eyes still wandering the walls. Inara smiled as she added just-boiled water to Kaylee's cup and her own, knowing how much Kaylee admired her lifestyle. They both knew she wasn't suited to it, but it didn't stop Kaylee from being in awe and sometimes jealous of Inara.

"So, what are you planning for this break of ours?" asked Inara conversationally, daintily sipping her tea so she wouldn't burn her lips or tongue. As usual, Kaylee took a sip too fast and burned her tongue. Inara quickly poured her a glass of water from an ornate glass pitcher and Kaylee drank thankfully. She smiled sheepishly as she put down the glass and returned to the conversation at hand.

"Well... " she relished in a slight pause, in which Inara looked at her curiously. "Simon asked me to spend some time with him." She watched Inara's expression quickly change from curiosity to looking pleased.

"Well, its about time." she said, smiling at the excitement that was very apparent in Kaylee's eyes. Kaylee bit her bottom lip slightly to keep in a small squeal of anticipation, and knew that Inara knew she was close to bursting with combined nervousness and excitement. "Where is he taking you?"

"He wouldn't tell me..." Kaylee told her, feeling slightly disgruntled. She really wanted to know where they were going; the suspense was killing her. But she supposed that was the very reason Simon was keeping it a secret; so she could spend the hours between now and then wondering.

"When?" Inara asked, taking another sip of her tea. "Tomorrow?"

"In two hours!" exclaimed Kaylee excitedly, nearly slopping her tea. Inara raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Really!" Inara had to work hard to keep from laughing at the ecstatic look on Kaylee's face. "Well... Suppose I help you get ready?" she offered warmly, knowing Kaylee would jump at the chance. Sure enough, Kaylee's eyes were twinkling with awe.

"That would be so shiny.." she said in an almost covetous tone. Inara laughed softly, set down her cup and crossed over to the small closet, hidden by a large panel of cloth. She gently pushed the cloth aside and thumbed through the clothing in the dresser, pausing at a dark green _shen-i_, a tunic and skirt with gold embroidery and small silken flowers. She pulled it out and looked at it, and then turned to Kaylee, who looked at it in disbelief. Inara smiled softly and held it out to her.

"I think this will fit you." Inara told her, smiling at the amazed look in Kaylee's face.

"Me? In that? Oh, Inara..." Kaylee got up from where she was sitting and went over to Inara, and gingerly touched the silk of the outfit. "Its so beautiful... do you think... he'll..." she trailed off, looking at Inara hopefully, and feeling heartened when she nodded.

"He'll go crazy for you. Well, he already _is_ crazy for you... but maybe after seeing you wearing this, he'll be able to untie the knots from his tongue." she told her with a soft laugh, as Kaylee still stared at the garment. "Come on, let's get you ready." Kaylee went to have a shower while Inara prepared Kaylee's outfit, finding a matching sash for the _shen-i_ and golden chain with the Chinese symbol for Serenity emblazoned in gold on a small black disc hanging from it.

Kaylee came back 10 minutes later, her hair wet and eyes shining. Inara helped her put the_ shen-i _on and admired it. It fit her perfectly, hugging all the right places closely while hanging loose in others. Kaylee was amazed at the feeling of the silk on her skin; it was so soft and cool, unlike the warm overalls she normally wore. It was a lot looser in some places than she was used to and likewise it was tighter in many places, specifically across the chest and her hips, mostly her whole torso. Inara found her some black sandals with gold trim and she slipped her feet into them, wiggling her toes. Inara sat her down on the bed and then knelt behind her, gently combing the tangles out of her hair as it dried.

"So..." Kaylee began as Inara took care of Kaylee's hair, constantly sending shivers down her spine. "How'd you do it?"

"How'd I do what?" Inara asked, resting her hand on the back of Kaylee's head as she fought to get a tangle out.

"Convince the Cap'n to give us the time off." Kaylee said, with no doubt that it was Inara. A tiny smile crooked Inara's lips and she continued fixing Kaylee's hair.

"What makes you think it was me?" she asked in a slightly playful tone, knowing that Kaylee knew full well.

" 'Cause of the way he looked at you earlier. 'Cause he's never given us this much time of b'fore." Kaylee explained calmly. Inara laughed softly.

"I suppose it was because I told him that if he didn't give his crew some time off that there would be a mutiny. As well as telling him in no uncertain terms that he was becoming--" she paused here, searching for the right word. "Something of a tyrant. I think it didn't sit too well with him." she commented lightly, smiling as Kaylee laughed.

"No, can't imagine it would... but there's more, ain't there?" asked Kaylee, unable to stop from being curious. Inara shook her head with a smile. Kaylee usually knew when Inara was hiding something.

"Yes, I suppose there is." she said with a small laugh. "And no, I'm not going to tell you." She added, as Kaylee opened her mouth. Kaylee frowned for a moment and then shrugged, dropping the subject as Inara continued with her hair. Once her hair was down and brushed perfectly, Inara reached around in front of her and fastened the necklace behind her neck. Kaylee shivered as the cold metallic disc of the pendant settled on her warm skin and she looked up at Inara as the woman moved to stand in front of her.

"Kaylee, you look amazing." Inara told her, looking at her approvingly. The dark green set off her eyes, and the gold blended well with her hair. Inara had to admit with a hint of pride that the Serenity necklace was a very nice finishing touch, considering how much love Kaylee had for her ship. Inara held out her hand to pull Kaylee into a standing position, and Kaylee took it, let her pull her up. She finally walked over to the mirror and looked into it, staring at herself in shock. She saw a very pretty young woman, adorned in rich, silken clothing, and wearing a gold necklace.

"Wow..." she breathed, hardly daring to believe it was even her. Inara stood beside her and looked in the mirror with her, smiling at their reflections.

"You're going to have an amazing time." Inara told her confidently, squeezing Kaylee's hand.

Simon sighed as he lay on his bed with the door open, staring up at the ceiling. He wished that time would pass quicker so he could get this anxiety over with, get rid of this terrible feeling of dread that he was going to screw things up somehow. He checked and rechecked his bag many times; he still had the blanket, the strawberries, the thermos of hot chocolate. He wanted this to be perfect for her. After a long time he got up and got changed. He put on black pants, a white shirt, not tucked in, as she seemed to like it, a black vest, and he draped a black jacket over a chair, waiting for the last minute to pick it up. From there he lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling again.

"You shouldn't be so nervous." a small, matter-of-fact voice drifted into the room, and Simon looked to see River standing in the doorway, watching him.

"I'm not." he answered, sitting up and trying to look confident in that answer. River rolled her eyes and strolled into the room, barefoot as usual.

"You shouldn't lie, either," she calmly scolded him, not looking upset in the slightest. He sighed and looked at her as she looked quietly at him, wondering what exactly she wanted. "I want you to have a good time." she said, as though answering his thoughts.

"I'm sure I will, I mean, I'll be with Kaylee... I just.." Simon stopped, not really wanting to talk with his kid sister about this kind of thing.

"You're afraid to say the wrong thing." River filled in gently. Simon nodded, and River put a hand on his knee, a reassuring weight. "She'll like you anyway, even if you mess up. She always does." Simon gave her a "that-didn't-help" look, which made her smile.

"Are you going to be alright on your own?" Simon asked, changing the subject. River knew he was just trying to avoid talking about it and let him for now.

"Yes. Always things to see." she commented, looking around his room, even though there was really nothing to see that Simon could think of.

"The Shepherd is going to be the whole time, if you need anything, just--"

"--ask him, I know." she interrupted, seeming bored with his brotherly chatter. His eyes widened at her next comment. "The berries are rotting."

"What!" exclaimed Simon, diving into the bag and pulling out the box that contained the strawberries he was going to give to Kaylee. He lifted the lid, half expecting to see shriveled, blackened rinds, but saw the strawberries still perfectly ripe and plump. His pounding heart slowed to normal and he looked at his sister, who was giggling.

"Got him." she said airily, spinning in place. "He always believes her." Simon shook his head and put the box back into his bag.

"You're a brat, you know that?" he said affectionately, poking her in the stomach. She nodded and turned to leave. In the doorway she suddenly stopped. "Is something wrong, _meimei_?" asked Simon, watching her pose go from relaxed to stiffened in a few seconds flat. She turned on the spot and looked at him, seeming almost nervous.

"Be careful, Simon." she said. And then she turned and simply left, leaving Simon staring after her, wondering what on earth that was about. He sighed as he lay back down, now adding River's warning to his list of worries for that evening.

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	3. Into the Night

Title:Into the Night(Drops of Jupiter chapter 3)  
Characters: Inara, Kaylee, Simon, River  
Pairing: ImpliedKaylee/Simon  
Rating: G  
Summary: While a somewhat tongue-tied Simon leads Kaylee to a mysterious destination, a frightened River makes Inara nervous.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon pwns teh Firefly/Serenity goodness!

**  
Drops of Jupiter**

**Into the Night  
(Chapter 3)**

A muscle in Simon's cheek twitched nervously as he waited for Kaylee in the cargo bay, pacing back and forth. He was wearing his black suit and vest, with his untucked white shirt, and feeling like he was going to burst from anxiety. He carried a black leather bag that held a blanket, a thermos of hot chocolate and a small box of strawberries; a surprise for Kaylee. Finally he decided if he walked back and forth any more, his shaky legs would give out on him. So he sat on the metal stairs, waiting.

Kaylee was being lead down the corridor to the cargo bay by Inara, suddenly full of nerves and terrified. Inara was trying to soothe her, but it wasn't working; Kaylee was so nervous about how Simon would think of her in this outfit, this beautiful shen-i borrowed from Inara.

"Meimei, relax. You two are going to have a wonderful time." Inara reassured her again, squeezing Kaylee's shoulders. Kaylee shot her a terrified glance as they reached the door to the cargo bay and she stopped short. Inara turned Kaylee to look at her. "Come on, Kaylee. Head up, back straight, be confident. You're gorgeous, and he'll love it. Really." Kaylee took a deep breath, trying to let Inara's words rush over her. Inara smiled, gave Kaylee a light, reassuring kiss on the top of her head, and urged her forward. Swallowing thickly, she stepped onto the catwalk above the cargo bay and began to descend the stairs, trying not to trip over her ankle length skirt.

Simon heard soft footsteps echoing on the metal stairs behind him and his breathing increased rapidly. This was it. He stood and turned around, a greeting forming on his lips, but froze when he saw her. Saw her slim form enveloped in dark green satin, trimmed with gold. He gaped at her, gaped at how the gold from the outfit and necklace she was wearing set off colours in her hair, making it dance and shimmer. When she finally looked up to meet his eyes, he could see the green reflected there, making her eyes seem deeper and more beautiful than he'd ever dreamed. His eyes never left her for a second as she descended the stairs; he was doubtful that he even blinked once. When she was finally standing in front of him, looking bashful, he fought to find his voice.

"Wo de ma..." he breathed, eyes wide as he took in the sight of her before him. He'd always thought she was the most beautiful young woman in the world, and this image of her just blew his mind. Kaylee smiled, her cheeks reddening.

"That a good "wo de ma?" she asked somewhat timidly, looking up at him through her long eyelashes. Simon nodded fervrently, his eyes still drinking in her features. Her blush deepened, and she was sure that for one second she heard a faint giggle, from where she had left Inara. She looked up at the door on the catwalk and saw the hem of the Companion's robes disappear. A smile curled her lips as she turned back to Simon; she knew she was in for an "I told you so" from Inara later. She looked expectantly at Simon, waiting for him to say something. Eventually the doctor got control over his vocal chords again and looked down at her, gently touching her cheek with his hand.

"You are such a p_ia liang de xiao jie_..." he said softly, making her smile again. He was staring again and she tucked her hair behind her ears, a nervous movement.

"So... where're we goin'?" she asked curiously, eyeing Simon's bag. Simon seemed to snap himself out of it and smiled.

"You'll see. You all ready?" he asked her. She nodded and he smiled, holding out his hand for her to take. She grinned at him and took his hand, and they opened the doors and headed out into the night. He lead her in silence for a while, the only sound in the night around them was the echoing sounds of their footsteps. They walked over grass through a long field where Serenity had landed, and then on a trail in through a thicket of trees. Simon was watching Kaylee's face as they walked, waiting for her to acknowledge a change in her surroundings. Kaylee suddenly noticed a dim, eerie blue light filtering through the trees and frowned, her brow furrowing in concentration. Simon smiled at her confused face, holding in a laugh as she looked around to find a culprit of the light.

"Do you see that?" Kaylee asked after a moment, glancing up at Simon. The doctor momentarily toyed with the idea of denying it to confuse her further, but decided to be nice.

"Yes." he answered, squeezing her hand.

"What is it!"

"You'll see." he laughed softly as she let out a quiet noise of frustration. Simon knew that seeing this as a surprise would be much better than if he told her, though. A few minutes later, they could see a break in the trees up ahead. "Close your eyes." Simon told her. Kaylee obeyed easily, though when she walked forward she was nervous, trying not to trip over objects she couldn't see. Simon lead her out of the trees and across a small stretch of glass, and onto a wooden platform. Kaylee frowned in puzzlement as her feet clunked on the wooden boards, wondering where on earth they were. Simon put down the bag and stood beside and a bit behind her, wrapping an arm around her from behind and letting his hand rest on her stomach. "Open them." he whispered into her ear. Her eyes flew open, and her jaw fell open as well almost immediately as she gasped. There stretching before them was a vast lake, glowing light blue in the dark night. The light flickered as the water rippled, and Kaylee stared, transfixed.

"S'amazing..." she said in awe, her hands resting lightly on the guard rail in front of her, barely noticing Simon's arm around her in her amazement. They were about twenty feet above the lake, a rocky ledge sloped down to the lake below. The platform had obviously been set up for observation, and Kaylee could see by the glow of the lake, a small area off to the right where picnics could be held. After a long moment of staring at the water together, Simon lead her to the picnic area, opened his bag and spread out the blanket. Kaylee still hadn't taken her eyes off the water, was transfixed entirely by it. Simon laughed softly as he tugged at her hand and she didn't move. He scooped her up, prompting a small yelp from her as he held her below the knees and around the back and sat down, placing her on the ground beside him.

"Do you want some hot cocoa?" he asked her.

"Yes!" she nodded enthusiastically. Suddenly she remembered how much manners meant to him, she added, "Please." Simon smiled and poured her a cup, watching the steam rise in the luke-warm night air. Kaylee took the cup and curled her fingers around the hot ceramic, staring at the water once more. "How's it get like that?" she asked. "All glow-y?" Simon poured himself a cup while he answered.

"Its a bacteria in the water that glows. Its not a harmful one, but, as you obviously can see, a beautiful one." he replied. They sipped their drinks in silence for a moment, before Simon put his down. He wrapped his arms around her stomach and pulled her carefully onto his lap, slowly so he didn't spill her hot chocolate and scald them both. She gave a small, happy laugh that made his heart flutter, and leaned back against him comfortably, his chin resting on her shoulder. After she'd finished most of her hot chocolate she put it aside and swiveled in his lap so she was facing sideways and looking at him.

" Thanks for bringing me here, Simon." she said quietly, her eyes shimmering in the glow of the lake. Simon smiled and brushed some hair out of her face.

"I knew you would love it." he told her softly. She smiled and leaned her forehead against his, shivering slightly as the silken material of her clothes slid over her skin when she moved. Simon pulled her closer, his arms wrapped around her middle. "You look so beautiful tonight, Kaylee." he said sincerely, rubbing her side with his thumbs as he held her. She was glad it was dark because she blushed again.

"Inara gave me this to wear... its so beautiful, and this necklace, and the sandals..." she sighed wistfully. "And tomorrow its back to the same ol' boring Kaylee." Simon shook his head.

"You're never boring, Kaylee. You're beautiful, and cheerful, and... and just.. _you_." he emphasized the last word positively, adoration lacing his tone. She looked at him quietly, not sure what to say. Simon watched the way her lips moved as she fought to speak, and his heart was fighting against his mind to kiss her.

_Do it, Simon._

He pulled her a tiny bit closer.

_No, its too soon._

He loosened his grip on her a tiny bit.

_Do it!_

He swallowed thickly and just as she was stringing words together to deny that she was anything special, he took a leap of faith and leaned in, taking her lips in his. He felt her inhale sharply in surprise, but was heartened when she didn't pull away. Contrary to that, after a moment she gently rested a hand on his neck and kissed him back. Kaylee's heart was pounding so hard she was sure it was about to break right out of her ribcage. Her whole body was tingling, and the hand she rested on Simon's neck very gently traced absent-minded circles on his skin, making him shiver pleasantly. After a long while Simon slowly pulled away far enough so that their lips weren't touching, but their foreheads were pressed together, noses bumping each other. They could taste each other's shaky breath on their lips, and they didn't speak. After a long moment they came together naturally, as if by a silent agreement, and gently Simon lay Kaylee down on the blanket and kissed her passionately, yet still managed to keep it gentle.

River wandered around Inara's shuttle, looking at all the decorations. Unlike Kaylee, she'd only been in there a few times, but she liked to look at all of the decor. It reminded her of home, which gave her mixed feelings. So after a while she curled up on Inara's bed, watching the Companion wander around a newsletter on the cortex.

"Water... overflows..." murmured River, seconds before Inara's screen changed to an article entitled "Flood devastates large neighborhood on Londinium". Inara blinked in surprise, glanced at River and then back at the article, which she skimmed, deemed as boring and closed. She sighed and turned away from the screen, looking at River collapsed on her bed.

"I hope the Shepherd feels better soon." said Inara conversationally, referring to the fact that Book was sick, which was why Inara was watching River. River shrugged.

"He will. Soon. Even now, he doesn't feel bad. Doesn't want to watch her. Thinks she's troubled. She is." River said quietly into Inara's silk sheets. The Companion got up and sat down beside her, gently stroking her hair.

"I'm sure that's not what he thinks. He worries about you." River looked up at her.

"So do you." she said, almost accusingly. Inara was saved answering as River suddenly gasped, sitting straight upright.

"What is it?" Inara asked, alarmed by the look on River's face. River held up a hand to silence her, the young girl looking like she was being hit with a migraine; her face was scrunched into a pained look.

"Water..." River whispered, looking scared.

Simon lay down beside Kaylee several long, deep kisses later, and looked up at the night sky, watching the odd shooting star flickering by high above them. They were contentedly silent, both extremely pleased by what had just transpired. They lay there a long time, not speaking, not thinking, just feeling each other's body as they pressed near each other and looked up at the seemingly endless space above them. Simon suddenly felt Kaylee shiver, a movement which she'd tried to hold in.

"Come on, you're cold." he said softly, sitting up. She sat up reluctantly, looking at him. "Its alright, its getting late anyway. Besides, we have tomorrow." he said with a smile. She smiled back and nodded, and watched as Simon put the thermos and their cups back into his bag. Simon felt the small box as he put the cups away and pulled it out, looking at Kaylee with a smile. "Here, this is for you." he told her, holding out the box for her to take. She took it with a curious gleam in her eyes, and opened the lid. A delighted look came over her face and let out an adorable happy noise, which made Simon want to hug her. Kaylee's eyes feasted on the ripe, plump strawberries, and Simon expected her to take one and eat it then. But she surprised him by closing the box and kissing him thankfully. After she pulled away, she smiled and tucked the box back into his bag.

"I'll save 'em for the mornin'." she told him, already eagerly awaiting breakfast time. He nodded with a grin and helped her stand up, and then folded up the blanket as she straightened her outfit. "Can we look one more time before we go?" she asked him. He nodded and she ran over to the platform as he finished gathering their stuff. He smiled at her enthusiasm and bent to put the folded blanket in the bag. Kaylee leaned heavily against the guard rail as she saw a fish splash, and made a noise of delight. Unfortunately, that small squeal of excitement was of a loudish sort, and neither of them heard the cracking noise of the guardrail that she was leaning on.

Inara was desperately trying to calm River, stroking the girl's hair and holding her tightly, and just as the Companion thought that she was calming down, River suddenly screamed, two syllables only, in a tone of panic that froze Inara's blood.

"KAY-LEE!"

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	4. Blindsided

Title: Blindsided (Drops of Jupiter chapter 4)  
Characters: Kaylee, Simon, Mal, Jayne, Wash, Inara, River  
Pairing: Kaylee/Simon  
Rating: PG  
Summary: As disaster strikes with Simon and Kaylee, River's prophetic screams alert the crew to the danger.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon pwns teh Firefly/Serenity goodness!

**Drops of Jupiter**

**Blindsided  
(Chapter 4)**

"Kaylee!" River sobbed, clinging to Inara as though her life depended on it. The startled Companion tried to hold the distraught girl while trying her best not to let _herself_ panic.

"Shhh, River, its okay, Kaylee's fine, she's with Simon, she'll be okay." Inara tried to soothe her, but River would have none of it.

"No... a splash into the glow... lifeless... Kaylee..." River sobbed, trying to pry herself from Inara's grip. The Companion tried her best to calm River down, but the young girl's words were startling her more and more. Most of the crew had come to trust River's instincts, if that's what they were called, or at least know that when she carried on like this that something was definitely wrong. Inara's heart was pounding in fright, wondering if Kaylee was okay.

"Simon! I just saw a fish!" Kaylee exclaimed, leaning further over the rail and pointing below her, where a fish had leaped out of the water. The glowing water made fish hard to spot until they were at the surface, but this one had jumped. Simon laughed over by the picnic area, just finishing packing everything up. He turned to see Kaylee leaning with all her body weight against the guard rail, and to his dismay it seemed to be leaning a bit with her.

"Kaylee, maybe you shouldn't lean on that rail so heavily.." Simon called to her as he began to walk to where she was. She didn't hear him; she was too busy scanning the water for more fish. "Kayl--" he was cut off when a sudden loud cracking noise shot through the air, and he was horrified to see the guard rail she was leaning on suddenly snap. The sudden absence of support sent Kaylee headfirst into the rocks below with a terrified scream. "KAYLEE!" Simon yelled in panic, racing to the platform and watching with a sickening feeling in his stomach as she bounced off the rocks three times, hitting her head and cutting up her body. Simon's heart beat painfully fast as she hit the water, waiting for her to surface. A moment later he saw her body float to the top, but it was face down and lifeless, her hair fanning out around her head. Yelling wordlessly in panic, Simon shed his outer coat, knowing it would weigh him down and took a running leap off the platform, praying the water was deep.

It was, and he landed with a splash and fought his way to the surface, swimming as hard as he could over to Kaylee. When he got to her he pulled her head out of the water, and was not encouraged to see that she was completely unconscious, and as of that moment, not breathing. Thankfully it didn't take long for him to pull her through the water. Her weight was dragging him down, but his body was pumping adrenaline, and his only thought was to get Kaylee the hell out of the there. His feet hit solid ground and pulled her up the shore and partially out of the water. He lay her down gently, most of her body still in the water, and knelt beside her, not daring to take more time by pulling her out all the way. His priority now was getting her to breathe again. Simon tilted her head back, blinking water out of his eyes as it ran from his hair. He plugged her nose and leaned in, breathing into her several times before moving to her side. He set his palm on her chest and wrapped clasped his hand with his other, trying desperately to fight off panic so he could do this properly. One, two, three times he did CPR before going back and giving her a few more breaths.

"Come on, Kaylee.." he pleaded as he desperately pumped her chest. On the last thrust before he was going to give her breaths again, she suddenly coughed, startling Simon and making his heart leap into his throat. One cough lead to another and soon she was coughing up the water she'd swallowed, gasping for breath. He knelt at her side, stroking her forehead, his hand shaking as she fought to regain her breath. "Its okay, you're gonna be okay.." Simon told her, trying to keep the shakiness out of his voice.

Her skin was cold from the water, and he himself was shivering as well. She'd stopped coughing and was breathing heavily, but her eyes hadn't opened yet. Simon stood and pulled her the rest of the way out of the water, onto the soft grass and knelt beside her again. He noticed her head starting to loll and panicked again.

"Kaylee, stay with me." he said firmly and loudly, squeezing her shoulder, trying to anchor her to consciousness. It didn't work, and Simon watched helplessly as her body went limp. At least she was breathing now. Simon took a moment to look over her. Her soaked silken clothes were clinging to her body, and Simon could see many rips and cuts beneath the rips. But his primary concern was the gash on the side of her head. It was long, from the middle of her scalp just above her ear and curved down over her cheekbone, just missing her right temple. It was bleeding profusely and Simon quickly unbuttoned his vest, shrugged it off, balled it up and held it against the cut, trying to stop the blood. His other hand stroked her cheek, looking sadly down at her lifeless form. He was sure she would be okay, but he was still scared. He knew he had to get her back to _Serenity_.

"River, calm down!" pleaded Inara, close to tears as the girl carried on, still yelling about Kaylee. Inara wanted to go and see Mal about maybe going to find the two of them, but she couldn't leave River alone when she was this upset. Inara suddenly heard Mal's voice, heard the shuttle door open.

"What in the ruttin' hell is she going on about!" he asked incredulously, coming into the room. River chose that moment to scream again, briefly deafening Inara, who was still trying to hold her.

"KAYLEE!" River half-screamed, half-sobbed. Mal suddenly snapped to attention.

"Kaylee? What's wrong with Kaylee!" he asked quickly, looking at Inara. The Companion shook her head hopelessly.

"She keeps saying things about glowing... I don't---" Suddenly something occurred to Inara. "The bioluminescent lake! I bet that's where they went..." she said, suddenly understanding the "splash into the glow" and "lifeless" comments. Inara began to panic. "Oh God, Mal... she's trying to tell us that Kaylee's in trouble, I think she's drowning!" River wailed, as though confirmation, and Mal immediately sprang into action.

"Inara, try'n keep her calm. I'll go and find 'em." Mal left without saying another word, and ran up to the bridge.

"Wash, I need you to start the mule." he told him in his no-nonsense captain-y voice.

"What? Mal, what's--"

"I said start the mule!" he snapped, already retreating down the ladder to find Jayne. Wash hastened to obey, not liking the note of anxiety clearly evident in the captain's voice. Mal found who he was looking for in the kitchen, gorging himself. "Jayne, c'mon, we have an emergency." Jayne gaped at him.

"What?"

"Come, NOW. We have to go." Mal shouted, losing his patience, his mind on Kaylee. Jayne understood Mal's tone and stood.

"Do I need a gun?" he asked.

"No." said Mal shortly, and hurried from the room, Jayne at his heels. They ran down to the cargo bay, and Mal was glad to see that Wash was waiting, the Mule idling, ready to go. He and Jayne leapt on, and Wash drove out the door.

Kaylee still hadn't woken up, and Simon had decided there wasn't much else he could do for her out here. He ran up the hill and grabbed his jacket, and when he returned to Kaylee, he wrapped it around her shoulders, hoping to slow an onslaught of hypothermia that was sure to set in soon. He scooped her into his arms, laying her head on his shoulder and walked as fast as he could away from the lake, into the trees. He dully noted that they were both glowing softly from the lake's bacteria sticking to them, and knew, with a jolt in his stomach, that Kaylee would have loved to see it. The thought spurred him on and he walked faster, lactic acid licking at his legs, burning his muscles. She wasn't really that heavy, on any other occasion, but Simon's adrenaline was starting to wear off, as much as he didn't want it to, and he was growing tired. Still he pushed on, ignoring how cold he was, holding her tightly against him, hoping what body heat he had left would transfer to her.

Finally he managed to get to the end of the trail and broke through the trees. He immediately heard the soft roar of an engine, and in the distance, by the light of the ship, he could see the mule racing towards them.

"There!" called Mal, pointing as he suddenly spotted a glowing figure emerge from the woods. Two figures, he saw, when he got closer, one in the arms of another.

"What in the ruttin' hell is that!" Jayne asked, squinting at the glowing blue blob.

"Kaylee.." Wash breathed as they got closer, realizing what was happening. Wash braked to a stop as they got near them, the headlights blinding Simon, and illuminating the two of them for the others to see. They were both soaked to the bone, and Mal's heart skipped several beats as he saw the sizeable gash on Kaylee's face. Jayne and Mal leaped off the mule and hurried over to them. Jayne gently took Kaylee from Simon and carried her to the mule, while Mal steadied Simon, who looked near collapse.

"What happened, doctor!" Mal asked urgently, helping Simon up onto the Mule while Jayne sat down carefully with Kaylee in his arms.

"She fell... she was leaning on a guardrail and it broke.. she hit rocks on the way down." he said numbly, shivering even more now that he wasn't holding Kaylee. Mal dug a couple of blankets from the back of the mule and tossed one to Jayne, who wrapped Kaylee in it, and gave one to Simon, who accepted it gratefully. "How did you know?" Simon asked as he wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

"Your sister threw 'nother fit." Mal told him. Simon nodded slowly, once again wondering how she could possibly know these kind of things. Deciding now wasn't the time to be wondering about that, he looked down at Kaylee as Wash turned the Mule around and raced back to _Serenity_. It only took a couple of moments and soon Jayne leapt from the Mule and carried Kaylee to the infirmary, Simon stumbling along behind him with Mal in their wake while Wash put the Mule away.

Inara was in the passenger dorm area, having finally calmed River down and had put the exhausted girl to bed when Jayne stepped into view, carrying the inert Kaylee.

"Kaylee!" Inara gasped, rushing forward as Jayne ignored her and set Kaylee down on the infirmary bed. Simon came in and shrugged off the blanket, ignoring the fact that he was still freezing cold. He had Kaylee to worry about first..

"Thank you." he said to Jayne, who nodded gruffly and left the room. Inara was stroking Kaylee's cheek as fearful tears ran down her cheeks.

"Is she going to be okay?" Inara asked Simon, who, she noticed, was looking decidedly paler than usual.

"Yes, but I have to suture this wound." Simon said wearily, gathering together his supplies. Inara took one of Kaylee's hands in both of her own as the doctor set about suturing the long gash over the side of Kaylee's head, after he'd securely wrapped her in several blankets. It took a long time, longer than usual, as Simon hands were shaking because he was so cold, and because it was Kaylee that he trying to fix, someone that he cared so much about. Finally he finished, gave her a shot of pain

killer to ease what he knew would be a pounding pain in her head when she woke and cleaned all the small cuts all over her arms and legs. Inara hadn't left, had stayed for the sake of all three of them, and now Simon turned to her, visibly shivering, despite the warm air in the infirmary..

"Can you get her into some dry clothes? I'm going to get changed as well." he asked her tiredly. She nodded and they left together, Simon veering to the left, and Inara to the right. Simon hurriedly peeled off his wet clothes and put on the warmest clothes he could find, a shirt and a thick sweater, as well as his warmest pair of pants and two pairs of socks. The warmth of the clothes took care of his shivers, though he still felt cold to the core. He returned to find Inara just finishing pulling a sweater onto Kaylee, and tossed aside the blankets that the water from her clothes had soaked into. He grabbed a few dry ones and gently draped them on her, examining the sutured wound. He'd been able to get to it fairly quickly, so he was confident it would mend well. He took a cloth, dipped it in warm water and began to gently wipe away the blood from her face and hair while Inara looked on sadly.

"Mal told me what happened.." she said quietly, watching Simon's face. The doctor didn't answer, but Inara saw his features soften and become sadder, if that was even possible. "I'm sorry it had to go like this.." she said mournfully, looking down at Kaylee's closed eyes.

"Yeah..." Simon said softly, pausing his ministrations to look at Kaylee sadly. "So am I."

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	5. Unwell

**Drops of Jupiter**

**Unwell  
****(Chapter 5)**

Simon sat in a stiff chair at Kaylee's side many hours later, very early in the morning. Kaylee still hadn't woken, and Simon was determined to be there when she woke up. The sight of her lifeless body, the angry red cuts all over her, the large stitched gash that was now starting to bruise around the edges; all of it made his heart ache so painfully he feared he would stop breathing. He was exhausted, the effort of pulling Kaylee out of the water, resuscitating her, carrying her halfway back and then stitching her up had drained his energy so completely that he felt his head drooping as he sat with her. But he refused to let himself sleep. He stood up as he felt his eyelids droop again, and stood at her side instead, gently stroking her forehead, staring at her closed eyes, willing them to open and relieve him of his worry. And his guilt.

Simon didn't know which hurt more; physically seeing her like this, or knowing that it was his fault. If he had only been standing with her, he could have caught her. If he hadn't brought that stupid thermos of cocoa, he wouldn't have been putting it all back in his bag as she flounced away. If he hadn't let his attention turn from her for a minute like it had, none of this wouldn't have happened.

Going back even more than that, Simon wondered why he couldn't have just taken her to a restaurant. Or to a movie. Or something else that was safe. Why did he have to be different and take her somewhere that could harm her like this! Why had he let this happen! Especially after they'd finally kissed, they'd finally had a few perfect hours with each other. Simon hadn't screwed up, Kaylee had been so happy... and then this.

Sighing deeply, he sat back down, his head in his hands, bent forward with his elbows perched on his knees, his body practically radiating stress and guilt. He rubbed at his eyes, feeling sleep threaten to overtake him again. Deciding that checking her vitals would keep him awake, he set about doing just so. He took her temperature, and realized she was getting too warm. He carefully folded down the blankets and gently removed her outer sweater, carefully not to jar her head or hit any of her cuts. He tossed it aside once he'd gotten it off of her and pulled the blanket over her chest again. He took her blood pressure and was in the process of taking her pulse when Mal came in, looking somber. Simon watched the captain approach the bed, finishing counting Kaylee's pulse in his head as Mal looked down at his fallen mechanic. He waited until Simon had pulled his hand away from feeling her pulse before looking at him properly. The doctor's eyes were red rimmed, and there were purple bags starting to form under them. His skin was pale and he looked so exhausted that Mal thought he would pass out at any second.

"Woah. Doctor... you need to get some rest." Mal said quietly, looking concerned. Simon squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before blinking and looking at Mal.

"I'll be fine." he said dully, his voice laced with exhaustion and anxiety. Mal frowned at him but left it alone for now, looking down at Kaylee again and taking her hand.

"How is she?" he asked, and Simon could hear the concern clearly evident in his voice. Simon sighed heavily, brushing hair out of Kaylee's eyes that had fallen there when he'd removed her sweater.

"Well.. her pulse is thready and she'll be weak and in pain when she wakes up... but she should be fine." he explained, trying to keep medical jargon to a minimum around the captain. He knew he didn't understand it and it only annoyed him because of it. Simon also didn't mention the chances of memory loss. She had smacked her head pretty hard, and while he knew that she had a concussion, and that it would heal fine after a while, the chances of memory loss were high. He sat back down at Kaylee's side, stroking her other hand and staring numbly into her face. There was a few moments of silence, in which Simon felt Mal's gaze flicker to him a few times, but Simon never looked up, kept his weary gaze on Kaylee at all times, willing her to wake up soon.

"Simon.." Mal said the doctor's name carefully, almost gently. Simon looked up, slightly surprised. Mal rarely used his actual name, preferring to go with "doc" or "doctor" or any of a varied amount of cursed names. "Go rest. I'll watch over Kaylee." Simon looked away again, shaking his head.

"Its fine, I'll be alri--"

"No, you won't." said Mal firmly, staring at Simon with his no-nonsense look on his face. Simon looked up wearily, his eyes pleading Mal to give him a break. "Last thing I need is my only doctor dropping like a fly cause he's too tired to see straight." Mal told him in a commanding voice. When Simon didn't move, Mal changed tones, more firm and more authoritative. "Go to bed. That's an order. I'll watch over Kaylee and when Inara wakes up she can take over. GO." Mal raised his voice slightly, startling Simon. As much as he really didn't want to leave Kaylee's side, he knew Mal was right. Sighing, Simon got up and sat on the other infirmary cot. He caught Mal's eye to see the captain frowning at him.

"What?" Simon asked, preparing to lie down, his hands groping for the blanket at his feet.

"Not there." Mal said, indicating the cot. "I meant in your own room."

"What!" Simon exclaimed incredulously. "No way, I'm not leaving this infirmary." Simon stared at him defiantly as Mal stalked up to him, looking angry.

"The hell you won't. Get the hell out of here and get yourself rested or I will get Jayne to remove you himself." Mal threatened seriously, staring into Simon's gaze. Simon regarded him with anger for a moment, trying to decide if it was an empty threat. Knowing that it wasn't, Simon thought it best to listen. Scowling at Mal, he hopped off the cot and stood beside the captain, looking up into the older man's face.

"You tell me the second anything changes." Simon told him urgently. "The second the monitors change, the second she stirs... If _anything_ changes, you come and you wake me." he demanded, half expecting Mal to yell at him for giving orders. But Mal nodded, and after a moment of staring into Mal's eyes to see if he was actually serious, Simon walked past him and up to Kaylee, bent over and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, a soft brush of his lips, and headed to the door, shooting a last scowl back at Mal before leaving and finding his way to his room.

Now that he was out of sight of the infirmary and Kaylee, he felt what little strength he had left leave him. He almost fell to the floor, but managed to get to his room. He was sweating, the cold from the lake having finally worn off, he managed to peel of his shirts and sweater, his chest glistening with sweat. He climbed up on his bed and before he could even lie down, he collapsed into sleep, his body falling to the mattress limply.

_Kaylee skipped across the field towards him, wearing a flowing white dress with a long shawl, her hair down loose and flying freely behind her. He saw himself, dressed in a rich suit, his arms out, ready to catch her when she got to him. She was getting closer and closer, and just as she was close enough for him to snatch out of the air, she vanished. He whirled around in confusion, looking for her._

_"Kaylee?" he called in alarm, not seeing her anywhere. He hurried off in one direction, and suddenly stopped short as he saw her lying on the ground. Not clad in white and looking blissfully happy like before, she was wearing a green satin _shen-i, _soaking wet and bloody. Simon gaped at her and then knelt at her side, feeling for a pulse. After a moment he still couldn't find one and tried the other side of her neck. Panicking when he didn't find one there either, he started doing CPR, desperately calling her name, tears of fear and remorse pouring down his face as she lay still, ashen faced and cold..._

_"Simon..." he heard a female's voice calling to him. "Simon..."_

"Simon!"

Someone was shaking him. He woke with a startled gasp, breathing heavily and looking around blearily. He saw Inara standing beside him, felt her hands on his shoulders. He slumped back against his pillow, relieved it had only been a nightmare.

"Are you okay!" asked Inara, and Simon heard a touch of panic in her voice. He looked at her, his eyes feeling heavy.

"Yeah... fine... just a nightmare.." he mumbled, fighting to sit up. Inara nodded, and after giving him a look of concern, she continued.

"Kaylee's waking up. But I think something's wrong..." Inara sounded anxious, scared. Simon's sleepiness disappeared in an instant and he was out of bed and out the door without even thinking about it. Inara hurried after him, and they entered the infirmary to see Kaylee writhing on the cot, Mal looking grim and holding her arms down. Simon rushed up to her, not even feeling the chill of the air, not realizing he wasn't wearing a shirt. He cupped her head in his hands, pulling back her eyelids and looking at her eyes. He was about to get a shot of something to calm her when her eyes sprang open. Nearly banging his head on the examination light above him, he quickly stood and hurried closer to her, leaning over her.

"Kaylee! Kaylee, can you hear me?" he asked her firmly, seeing her eyes wandering all over the place, looking dazed, confused, lost. She gave a tiny nod, her eyes finally finding his face and he could tell she was struggling to concentrate, to focus on him. She gave a small moan of pain and he clutched her hand tightly, looking down at her intently. "Can you see okay?" he asked softly a moment later, after she blinked rapidly and finally seemed to focus. She nodded again, and glanced around at Mal and Inara, who had appeared at Simon's side. Kaylee had a mingled look of anguish and confusion in her eyes and Simon squeezed her hand, trying not to let his emotions overwhelm him. A moment later he was shocked as a wave of fear passed over Kaylee's face and she wrenched her hand from his grip. "Kaylee! What's wrong, _baobei_?" he asked urgently. She stared up at the three people standing over her, wide-eyed, and when she whispered, her voice was filled with fear and uncertainty.

"Who are you?"

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	6. The Forgotten

Summary: The crew learns of and has to deal with a rather saddening aspect of Kaylee's recovery, and wonders whether it'll work itself out in time...  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon pwns teh Firefly/Serenity goodness!

**Drops of Jupiter**

**The Forgotten  
(Chapter 6)**

_"Who are you!"_

Simon stared at her, shocked. He had known memory loss was a good possibility, but he hadn't been prepared for it. He glanced over his shoulder at Mal and Inara, who were both looking about as shocked as Simon. Kaylee was looking in fright from Simon, to Mal, to Inara and back again, and it was clear in her eyes that she hadn't a clue who they were. Simon crouched down a bit at her side, pulled a stool over to him and sat on it, looking at her in concern.

"Kaylee... _baobei_, don't you remember any of us? Simon, Inara, Mal..." he asked softly, naming them each in turn, wishing he could taking away the look of utter fear and confusion in her eyes. She shook her head, her eyes still as wide as saucers. Simon swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat. As much as he wanted to sit and discuss this with Mal and Inara, and try and figure out how to fix it, his first priority was Kaylee. He had to get her to calm down, not to be so scared. He had to try and convince her she was surrounded by friends, not strangers.

Suddenly the need for him to do such a thing was taken away when Kaylee let out a moan.

"Simon?" she said breathily, looking up at him, clearly recognizing him. A relieved smile broke out over his face and he heard relieved sighs from Inara and Mal behind him.

"Yeah, _baobei_... its me, its Simon..." he reached out his hand, cursing its shaking, and gently brushed her hair out of her face, cupping her uninjured cheek in his hand, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. He sensed Mal and Inara moving and saw them appear on Kaylee's other side a moment later, looking down at Kaylee.

"Hey, _Meimei_." said Mal softly, grasping one of Kaylee's hands lightly. "You just hang in there, okay?" Kaylee managed a small smile and she nodded slightly, squeezing his hand weakly. Simon glanced up as Inara gently placed her hand on Kaylee's forearm.

"Are you alright, Kaylee?" she asked quietly, concernedly. Simon could see the beginnings of tears glistening in Inara's eyes and looked away, back down to Kaylee's face, still so relieved that it had only been temporary. Then he noticed a strange look in Kaylee's eyes; it was one of recognition and comfort as Mal spoke, but when her focus switched to Inara, the confused, frightened look returned. She was staring at Inara, not answering her. The Companion was starting to get confused, clearly wondering why Kaylee was looking at her like that. "_Meimei_? What's wrong?" she asked urgently, looking down into Kaylee's distraught eyes.

Still, Kaylee seemed unable to respond, and her eyes flickered away from Inara, focusing on the ceiling instead. Frowning, Inara looked up at Simon with a hurt, questioning glance. Simon gave her a pacifying look back; his heart clenched when he thought about it, but he was pretty sure he knew what was happening.

"Kaylee? _Baobei_?" he asked softly, waiting for her to turn her head to look at him. "Do you remember Inara?" he asked quietly, wishing there had been a way to make it easier on Inara. But this was the only way to find out. He watched Kaylee's eyes as they flickered to Inara, and then flickered back to him, looking upset and ashamed. "_Xin gan_, its nothing to be ashamed of..." Simon tried to reassure her, trying not to look at Inara's hurt face. After a long moment, Kaylee shook her head. Just the tiniest bit. "You don't?" Simon asked in a near-whisper, afraid to look at Inara. Kaylee shook her head again, looking distraught. Simon stared at her, his heart pounding painfully. Inara was her best friend on the ship, and she didn't remember her? Simon heard a soft, dry sob and looked up to see Inara turn around, her hand over her mouth, clearly trying to pull herself together. Mal immediately turned with her, putting an arm around her shoulders and murmuring to her, as Simon looked back at Kaylee.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, her eyes cloudy with distress and probably pain. Simon took one of her hands and squeezed.

"No, _baobei_, don't be sorry... its okay, you just need to rest." he said soothingly, his voice low and calm in an attempt to calm her. She moved her head back and then forth again slowly, her eyes closed. She moaned softly, but opened her eyes back up when he squeezed her hand. "Does your head hurt?" Simon asked gently, brushing hair away from her eyes. She nodded slightly, her eyes drooping, though Simon could see tears welling beneath the lids.

"What happened?" she whispered, just as Mal and Inara returned to her side. Simon glanced up at Inara; the woman looked deeply upset in her eyes, but was obviously being strong for Kaylee.

"Um, you, you fell..." Simon began, wondering what exactly she remembered. He wondered if she even remembered going on the date. "Do you remember falling?" he asked, squeezing her hand. She shook her head.

"Las' thing I remember... I was..." her eyebrows furrowed slightly, obviously struggling to remember. "I was... in the passenger area... and you..." she looked at Simon with a slight frown, trying to remember how Simon had been involved. Suddenly she remembered. "You was askin' me... to go somewhere." she finished tiredly, and Simon nodded, reassuring her that that had actually happened. He could see her eyelids drooping again and he gently stroked her hair. As much as he wanted to question her, find out exactly what she remembered, exactly what she didn't; she needed rest now, first and foremost. It wasn't long until she slipped into sleep; a few minutes of Simon stroking her forehead and her body relaxed, her expression becoming peaceful. Simon sighed, let go of her hand and kissed her forehead before standing up. He'd forgotten that he wasn't wearing a shirt and only now did he remember as he suddenly realized how cold he was. He grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders, avoiding Inara's eyes. He knew he shouldn't, but he felt guilty for Kaylee not remembering her. It was his fault that she fell; so really it was his fault that she couldn't remember her best friend, either. After a long moment of silence, broken only by a small whisper from Mal to Inara, Mal finally spoke up.

"Let's go have a chat." Mal commented wearily. Simon glanced up and Mal pointed outside, to the passenger dorms. Simon nodded and led the way, stepping out of the doors and letting Mal and Inara pass before pulling the doors to Infirmary closed, to keep Kaylee warm. He followed Mal the few steps into the common area, making sure he was in full view of a window to the Infirmary so he could see if Kaylee woke up.

"Well, I'm gonna start by askin' the obvious." said Mal after a moment, as neither Inara nor Simon spoke. "Why don't she remember 'Nara?" he asked Simon, looking at him intently. Simon sighed and finally looked up, feeling his heart break slightly at the sight of tears welling in Inara's eyes.

"I... well... its very unusual, but memory loss is a tricky thin--" Simon tried to explain, but was quickly cut off by Mal.

"What I wanna know is, does this... this, remembering some people but not others thing... I wanna know if this is suppose ta happen, and if it can be fixed." Mal summed up, glancing at Inara before looking back at Simon. Simon sighed, looking at Inara apologetically.

"It _can_ happen, yes. As for it being fixed..." he trailed off with another soft sigh. "Memory loss is unpredictable. Some people regain their memory in hours, some days, weeks, even months or years." He paused, not really wanting to add the last thing, but he had to be realistic. "Sometimes its permanent."

Inara gave a soft sob at this, and Simon hurried forwards, putting a hand gently on Inara's shoulder.

"Its nothing personal, Inara, really..." Simon tried desperately to soothe her, feeling terrible that she had to go through this. "In a lot of cases the patient doesn't remember the ones closest to them. But we'll help her get her memory back. We will." he told her firmly, though he wasn't completely sure whether he believed it or not. Inara nodded to pacify him, but as soon as he let go she walked away and sank onto the couch, her face buried in her hands. Mal hurried after her and sat down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and whispering to her, trying to comfort her. Simon sighed and turned to go back into the infirmary, and nearly jumped out of his skin to find River standing behind him.

"Woah!" he exclaimed, nearly choking as his heart seemed to fly into his throat. "_Meimei_... you've got to stop doing that..." he breathed, his heart pounding. She seemed to ignore his words and stared past him at Inara and Mal, watching them.

"She doesn't remember..." she said out loud, her eyes intently locked on Inara, apparently talking to no one in particular. Simon looked at her curiously, once again plagued by questions of what they'd done to her in the Academy. He watched as River stared unblinkingly at Inara, and was incredibly surprised a moment later as River's eyes filled with tears.

"_Meimei_?" he asked in alarm, putting his hand on her shoulder. "What is it!" River continued looking at Inara, oblivious to the tear slipping over her cheek.

"She's hurting..." River whispered, and this time Simon was sure she was talking about Inara. "Thinks she did something wrong... That Kaylee doesn't love her." Simon's eyes dropped, his shoulders sagging slightly. Poor Inara... Simon's heart went out to her. Yet at the same time, he was insanely glad that it wasn't him that Kaylee didn't remember. Although, as Simon thought about it... if she didn't remember him, maybe she wouldn't remember all the times he'd hurt her. He sighed and slowly left the common room as River seemed unwilling to budge, and Mal was still trying to comfort Inara. He wandered back to his room and tossed the blanket on his bed, the air attacking his bare skin and giving him goose bumps. He pulled out a black long sleeved shirt, pulled it on, and then wandered back to the infirmary, still in his bare feet. He entered and sat down on the chair beside where Kaylee slept, looking down at her.

Tears prickled at his eyes as he looked at her. At the large bright red gash, sutured down the side of her face, at her frail body, seeming impossibly fragile as she lay inert on the infirmary bed before him. At her pale skin, her sunken eyes. And now all of this memory loss; how crushed Inara was. All of it was his fault. He took one of her hands and gently kissed it, leaning his head against her arm, letting a single tear fall.

"I'm so sorry, _baobei_..." he whispered to her, clutching her fingers tightly in his own hands. "I'm so sorry..."

_Please review!_


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